1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods of and apparatuses for processing binary data, in particular, but not exclusively, for the purpose of detecting and in some cases correcting errors in digital television signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are two main approaches to dealing with errors in digital television signals. The first approach is correction, which involves the production and use of additional data signals purely for the purposes of error detection and correction, these additional data signals otherwise being redundant. The present invention is primarily concerned with correction and in particular with providing effective correction without the need for an excessive amount of additional data which might overload the data handling paths or raise the data rate to an unacceptable level. The second approach, with which the present invention is also to some extent concerned, is concealment. This is a process of particular application to digital television signals, and comprises the reconstruction of corrupted data signals using available uncorrupted data signals and relying for accuracy on the strong correlation that exists in a television signal.